Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-12
IS INBELIEygn.

An Interesting Question in Wow OF the
Andover Controversy.
Do orthodox Christians believe that
the heather world without repentance
aud acceptance of Jesus Christ, is to be
irretrievably damned? They profess to
believe it, says the Unitarian organ, the
Christian Register. 1t is written in their
cIeeds, it has been preached in mission
ary sermons and in their theological
seminaries; but what evidence do they
give to the world that Trey really
believe in the doctrine they hold?
This question which Rev. T. J.
Sawyer, in en- able article in the
Christian Leader, puts to the Indepen-
dent which editorially presents the
"solemn conviction that every soul dying
without faith in Christ is to be consigned
to hell-fre forever, as the motive that
aroused their missionary zeal" "If that
is religionsly believed" says DR.. Sawyer,
sit should be potent beyond expression.
Let US see how it operates" 1t is by no
means certain that the editorial article
which DR.. Sawyer so earnestly answers
was written By DR.. Ward, it's editor; but
it represents, nevertheless, the attitude
of the Independent. The effective reply
Of DR.. Sawyer is seen in the quotation
which follows
We rnay safely assume, | suppose, that
there are one thousand million heather
or nonChristian people on the earth Ct
tais moment. OF this vast number it is
estimated that thirty million will die and
g to hell every year, and all practically
within third of century. And what,
pray, are our orthodox neighbors doing
to stay this awful ruin? The COngrega-
tionsl church, am told, hiss this year
appropriated $1,000 to the cause OF
foreign missions; that is, 81 toward the
salvation of every thirty pagan souls,
which will die and without succor be in
hell beforethe end of twelve months.
Now, to measure the power Of these
awful facts, let us see what sacrifices our
| Congregational friends are making in
this great cause. This church has more
thsn $4,000 church members, and its
congregations are probably twice, per
! haps three or four times, that number.
| If the church members pay the whole
sum, it would sverase about 230 each;
and, on the superstition that as many
more aid them, it would be Sl.l5 each
per annum; or, if two others aid each
church member, 1t would reduce it about
% cents.
The Universalist believes all men will
finally be saved, end gives Tor foreign
missions nothing. His Congregationalist
neighbor believes thst so, 100000 heather
souls are falling this year into hell fire,
aud gives, ct most, 50 80, or perhaps,
i 81 Is or - cents for their salvation. Do
they show their faith By their work.
Now, | believe il the Congregational
church were persuaded that $4,000 human
beings, not to say $4,000, 900, were shout
to die Of starvation on Pacific island
within twelve months, and that 81 ,000,-
900 would save their lives, il would raise
that psltry sum IN weekday, On aGV
Sabbath day in the year.
But this is not the worst aspect of the
case. an lett to wonder WHIST Dr. Ward
can think Of the God whom he worships
and seeks to love and serve, who has
crested these millions CT immortal beings
and left thsir highest interests for eter-
nifty to the contingencies CT the human
will, their own or that OF fellowmen,
and especially when he clearly fOresaW
that all would end in their everlasting
dsmnstion. And this is not the
awful work of this year, or this genera
ton, or this century alone. 1t hes been
going on almost from the creation OF the
race. And God saw it all from the be.
ginning. In the name OF reason and con.
science and humanity, where IS the wis
dom, the goodness, in the awful tragedy
of the universe? Yet the SCRIPTURES
. teach US that God is love, and that he il
good to all, and that his tender mercie:
| are over al his works. l